Apparatus for clarification of gasoline



AMay 26, 192s. 1,539,671

R. HOLLAND ET AL APPARATUS FOR CLARIFICATION 0F GASOLINE Filed Feb. 2:5h1924 Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH HOLLAND AND JOHN A. WIRT, 0F LARAMIE, WYOMING.

APPARATUS FOR CLARIFICATION 0F GASOLINE.

Application filed February 23, 192A. Serial No. 694,608.

for cleaning clothes or fabrics and for thereafter clarifying thecleaning solution and making it possible to use this solution repeatedlythereby reducing the cost of the cleaning; and to provide means wherebythe apparatus may be readily cleaned whenever necessary; and to provideapparatus so con structed as to reduce the ire hazard to a minimum. Weattain these and otherobjects of our invention by the apparatusillustratedv in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of our invention Fig. 2 is a vertical section through theapproximate central portion of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and 0 Fig. 5 is adetail enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference designate like elements in each of theseveral views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, we provide a cleaning tank T inwhich the fabrics to be cleaned are placed and with which a cleansolvent pipe 19 communicates, said pipe 19 also communicating with theupper portion of the small caustic removing tank 24, this tank beingaranged in the main or large tank C which holds the clarifying solution.The receiving tank C consists of the main tank 6 having the taperedbottom pori ion T which opens into the top of small tank l, which lattertank is provided with outlet. pipe and valve 2. Opening out of theholtom of fabric cleaning tank T is a pipe 2O which communicates withthe pump P which pumps the solutionwhich has been used through pipe 2land discharges it through the four-way nozzle or agitator 3 which isprovided with perforations 4 and which opens into the bottom portion ofbottom tank 1, where the tluid'is agitated by a horizontal section online 3-3 contact with aplurality of baiiie plates 5 radiating from thesides of this tank and disposed ,vertically as shown in Fig. 2. Theannular extension 8 ofthe tapering wall 7 which projects into the upperportion of tank 1 lalso functions as al baffle member to increase theagitation of the solution before it passes upward through opening 9 intothe upper main tank 6.

We provide a conical dome 10 in tank 6, this dome being provided with aseries of apertures 12 arranged near its base; and also being providedwith a vertical air vent 13 opening out of its apex and extending to thetop of tank 6 and through'cover 36,

as shown in Fig. 2. An annular space 11 is provided between the bottomedge of dome 10 and the vertical wall of tank 6. The filtering tank 14is providedwith a filtering element 15 extendin horizontally across itsupper portion just low the point where pipe 19 opens into this tank.This filtering element consists of a plurality of wire mesh members 16and cloth and cotton members 17, alternately arranged. `Filteringelement 15 is positioned immediately below opening 18 in which the endof pipe 19 is mounted. Pipe 19 is provided with a suitable si ht glass41. Similarl pipe 2() is provi ed with a suitable sig t glass 42. Pipe20 is also provided with a hand-operated valve V. Opening into pipe 20is a vertical filling pipe 43 having afvalve 44 arrangedin it, this pipe43 terminating in a suitable funnel 45. The main tank 6 is also providedwith a'sight glass 35, and in addition with a glass gauge 38 projectingabove the tank as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Mounted on the smaller tank wall 24, as shown in Fig. 2 is adownwardly-slanting balile plate 26 which extends nearly, but not quiteto the opposite wall of the tank, while mounted ou the opposite wallsare spaced baille plates 25 slanti'ng upwardly in parallel relation tobafiie 26 and extending nearly but not quite to wall 24. We providefaucets. 27 opening just above the respective battle plates 25 and thebottom inclined wall of tank 24.

Arranged in tank 6 as Shown in Fig. 2 we provide a pipe 28, terminatingin a funnel 29, the top of which is even with the surface of the liquidcontents of tank 6. -Pipe 28 has a slaiiting extension portion 30 whichterminates in the nozzle 31 which opens into the bottom of tank 24. We'also provide a Iand nozzle 3 into tank 1, thus l6 We provide' :anannular steam pipe 39 having spaced openings 40. The pipe 39 is incomlnunication with pipe 46 which is connected with some suitable sourceof sup,- ply 'of steam which is' used to clean the bottom of the tankand heat the fluid.

In operating our invention, the garments or fabrics to be cleaned areplaced in the cleaning tank T where they are `Wa'shed in gasoline :andsoaked for. a time. Then the outlet valve V is opened and the dirtysolution is pumped by means of pump P through pipes and 21 and nozzle 3into the bottom of small tank 1. rllhe settling solution is poured intofunnel 45 andwthrough pipe 43 into pipe 20, the contents of which arepumped with some force through pipes 2l mixing the solvent, the mixinprocess being further aided by the plurality of radial baflle plates 5andthe annular baffle extension 8. The solvent S passes upward throughopening 9 and spreads out over the conical bottom wall 7 of main tank 6,also encountering the air dome 10, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2of the drawings, all the air that may be in the solvent being permittedto esca e through the air vent 13 at theapex of tiome 10. rDhesolutionflows through funnel 29, `,pipe-28,` extension pipe and nozzle. 31 intotank 24 where it flows through water and around the series of baffleplates 25, 26 and 25, and upward through filtering element 15 to pipe 19through which it returns to the cleaning tank T in clarified conditionready for use again in cleaning the clothes or fabrics that are in thistank for the purpose of `being cleaned.

The solid top 36 extending from one wall ot' the large tank over to thewall 14 of the smaller tank, and the top 37 of the smaller tank providean etiicient coverl releasably attached as shown and reduces firehazard.

If, for any reason,the filter 15 becomes clogged and will not Iallow thesolvent to pass through into pipe 19 and to the cleaning tank T, thesolvent will rise in the sight glass 38, thus warning the operator.

The openings 40 in the annular pipe 39 point downward so that steamadmitted through pipe 39 will greatly facilitate the cleaning process,washing down any foreign substance which may have collected. The varioussight glasses shown in the drawings `in the solution tank are for theobvious purpose of allowing the operator to see the height and conditionof the solvent.

The two-way valve 32, shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 3,. affords the oerator control of the solvent,.as he may irect it either through pi e 34into the small tank directl under the lter 15er may divert it throngpipe 30l and nozzle 31 to the bottom of tank l 24 letting the operatorVusev the clear water wash which takes'place in that part of the smallertank indicated as 24vin Fig. 2 of the dra-wings. This section of thesmall tank is filled with clear water. The solvent after being cleanedas heretofore described, rises to the top-of the large tank 6, flowsthrough the pipe 28 and extension 30 to the bottom of the small tank 24and is sprayed into the bottom compartment through the nozzle 31. Beinglighter than water it flows upward past the several baille plates untilit reaches the top of tank section 34 where the slanting wall 23 permitsit. to spread out before it flows through the filter land backthereafter into the cleaning tank. By these several steps we not onlyproduce a cleaner solvent but have eliminated: the possible chance ofany free caustic remaining in the solvent. The faucets 27 permit ofconvenient cleaning of the tank at any timesuch cleaning is needed.

The process described makes it'v ossibleL to save a lar percentage ofthev c eaning solvent. It a so makes it possible to -clean rough andfine fabrics simultaneouslyl with satisfactory results in both cases.

What we claim is: 1. In an apparatus for clarifying the vsolvent used 1ncleaning fabrics, the combination of a cleaning tank in which thefabrics are placed, a solution tank to which a solution for clarifyingsolvent is supplied, a conduit leading from the cleaning tank to thesolution tank, means for forcing the' solvent fronr the cleaning tankinto and through the solution tank, a second tank into whiclrthesolution tank discharges the mixture, filtering means arranged in theupper portion of said tank last named, and a con duit arranged toconduct .the clean solvent after it has'passed through the filteringmeans back to the cleaning tank in which the fabrics are placed forcleaning.

2. An apparatus for clarifying the solvent used in cleaning fabrics, thecombination of a solution tank, a cleaning tank in which the clothes arelaced for. cleaning, a con duit from said elbaning tank to the solutiontank, means for pumping the solution throu h said conduit, means foradmitting a sett ing solution into said conduit, means for agitating thesolution, means for the solution, a filtering tank arranged within themain solution tank, a conduit leading escape of air from the from theupper portion of the solution tank to the bottom of the filtering tank,a series of baffle plates arranged in the filtering tank near its lowerportion, a filter in the upper portion of said filtering tank, and aconduit opening into the filtering tank at a point above the filter andextending to an opening into the cleaning tank in which the clothes orfabrics are placed for cleaning.

3. In combination with the apparatus described in claim 2, a conduitopening into the filtering tank at a point below thefilter and inlproximity thereto, said conduit opening out ot the first-named condu'itleading from the upper portion of the solution tank to the bottom of thefiltering tank, and a two-Way vvalve controlling the iioW of fluidthrough the respective points of discharge of said conduits, saidtwo-way valve being operable by a. handle arranged outside the maintank, substantially asl shown.

4. In combination with the apparatus disclosed in claim 2, a cover madein two sections, one of the sections covering the solution tank and theother section covering the filtering tank, a dolne arranged inthesolution tank and having its periphery in proximity to but spacedfrom the Wall of said tank, said dome terminating at its apex in an airvent, said air vent extending to and discharging through the cover tothe solution tank, the aforesaid dome having spaced apertures for tht.escape of the solvent.

RALPH HOLLAND. JOHN A. WIRT.

